Numerical simulation of the blast wave of a multilayer composite charge

The numerical simulation of a blast wave of a multilayer composite charge is investigated. A calculation model of the near-field explosion and far-field propagation of the shock wave of a composite charge is established using the AUTODYN finite element program. Results of the near-field and far-field calculations of the shock wave respectively converge at cell sizes of 0.25–0.5 cm and 1–3 cm. The Euler––flux-corrected transport solver is found to be suitable for the far-field calculation after mapping. A numerical simulation is conducted to study the formation, propagation, and interaction of the shock wave of the composite charge for different initiation modes. It is found that the initiation mode obviously affects the shock-wave waveform and pressure distribution of the composite charge. Additionally, it is found that the area of the overpressure distribution is greatest for internal and external simultaneous initiation, and the peak pressure of the shock wave exponentially decays, fitting the calculation formula of the peak overpressure attenuation under different initiation modes, which is obtained and verified by experiment. The difference between numerical and experimental results is less than 10%, and the peak overpressure of both internal and external initiation is 56.12% higher than that of central single-point initiation.     

Analysis of the stress wave and rarefaction wave produced by hypervelocity impact of sphere onto thin plate

Shock wave is emitted into the plate and sphere when a sphere hypervelocity impacts onto a thin plate. The fragmentation and phase change of the material caused by the propagation and unloading of shock wave could result in the formation of debris cloud eventually. Propagation models are deduced based on one-dimensional shock wave theory and the geometry of sphere, which uses elliptic equations (corresponding to ellipsoid equations in physical space) to describe the propagation of shock wave and the rarefaction wave. The “Effective thickness” is defined as the critical plate thickness that ensures the rarefaction wave overtake the shock wave at the back of the sphere. The “Effective thickness” is directly related to the form of the debris cloud. The relation of the “Effective thickness” and the “Optimum thickness” is also discussed. The impacts of Al spheres onto Al plates are simulated within SPH to verify the propagation models and associated theories. The results show that the wave fronts predicted by the propagation models are closer to the simulation result at higher impact velocity. The curvatures of the wave fronts decrease with the increase of impact velocities. The predicted “Effective thickness” is consistent with the simulation results. The analysis about the shock wave propagation and unloading in this paper can provide a new sight and inspiration for the quantitative study of hypervelocity impact and space debris protection.     

从装备思维与军事实践互动关系看装备科研工作内涵、地位与作用

装备思维是人类智慧的结晶和科技文明产物,它反映一定时期人们对于装备设计的理念,也反映了该时期主流军事战略的思维方式。本文对军事装备涉及的论证、研制、试验、鉴定和使用等环节进行梳理,从装备思维与实践互动关系探讨装备科研工作的内涵、地位和作用。     

针对不同视场辅助信标的无人机目标定位方法

针对无人机在单站测角测距的目标定位过程中受无人机姿态角误差影响较大的问题,提出一种对辅助信标进行探测并与惯性传感器相结合的无人机姿态求解方法。建立基于容积卡尔曼滤波的惯性传感器姿态求解模型,采用梯度下降法对基于辅助信标的无人机位姿参数进行求解,并综合它们的结果对无人机的姿态偏差进行估计和校正,最后完成了不同视场条件下的目标定位和仿真计算。结果表明,所提方法对无人机目标定位精度有明显提高。     

Late Medieval Lance Use: Mounted Combat and Martial Arts in Western Europe from the 14th to the 16th Century

Despite the lance’s status and the amount of attention the couched lance has received in historiography, study of its martial art has been neglected. The various lance types and techniques used by western European cavalry have only recently begun to receive scholarly attention. Additionally, Medieval European lance use has too often been studied in isolation, without an adequate understanding of the idiosyncratic and asymmetrical dynamics of mounted combat. Although the charge with the couched lance was a valid tactic, it was only one of many. Light and heavy lances were used in one hand or two to trip, block, unhorse, and wrestle. These techniques were governed by the harsh laws of distance, speed, impact, iron, and asymmetry. By utilizing the surviving Fechtbücher and several Peninsular and Near Eastern sources, a brief foray into the diverse techniques of lance use and their purposes has been attempted here.     

Tripwires and free-riders: Do forward-deployed U.S. troops reduce the willingness of host-country citizens to fight for their country?

This article investigates the relationship between U.S. overseas troops and the willingness of the citizens of host states to fight for their country. The study joins the long-running debate about burden-sharing and free-riding among U.S. allies. Unlike most previous empirical studies, we focus on non-material or intangible measures of the underlying concepts. Our dependent variable estimates the proportion of citizens expressing a willingness to fight for their country. Scores at the aggregate-national as well as the individual level are shaped by the presence of U.S. military forces, which act as a “tripwire” signaling credible security commitments. This increases opportunities of (non-material) free-riding. We present both bivariate and multivariate analyses covering the period 1981–2014 to test this supposition. Findings indicate that once U.S. troop levels reach a certain threshold (between 100 and 500 troops), citizens’ willingness to fight drops significantly. This likely reflects non-material free-riding.     

The stability of the nuclear nonproliferation norm: a critique of norm-contestation theory

This article argues that the nuclear nonproliferation norm (NNPN) is a social fact with a relatively independent life of its own and that it has a powerful impact on the behavior of both nuclear-weapon states (NWS) and non-nuclear-weapon states (NNWS). It challenges the application of critical constructivist research on norms to the NNPN and the idea that its legitimacy and structural power depend on contestation “all the way down.” State and non-state actors play an important role in explaining the dynamics of the NNPN, but agential constructivism runs the danger of “throwing the baby out with the bath water,” neglecting the structural impact of the NNPN on state behavior. The article examines the limitations of norm-contestation theory, arguing that some norms are more resistant to contestation than others. The NNPN is more difficult to contest than new norms (such as the Responsibility to Protect) because it is rooted in fifty years of nonproliferation nuclear diplomacy. The US-India nuclear deal is not a case of “norm change” but a violation of the NNPN. The “core” of the NNPN has not changed since the US-India nuclear deal. The conflict confronting NWS and NNWS is about the implementation of “type 2” norms (organizing principles) and “type 3” norms (standardized procedures), and not about the “hard core” of the NNPN.     

Mirror,mirror on the wall,who is the most offensive of them all? – Explaining the offensive bias in military tactical thinking

This article explores why the offensive predominates military tactical thinking. With survey results showing an offensive bias among 60 per cent of senior Swedish officers and as many as 80 per cent in the case of the army, it is clear that this is not just a problem of the past but is equally relevant today. The article asks why there is a tendency to perceive and understand offensive tactics as the preferred choice and the way to conduct battle that should be encouraged and preferred. Drawing on existing research and the findings of a pilot study, ten propositions for why the offensive bias exists are tested using a mixed-method approach. Based on the findings, the article develops a model to understand why the offensive dominates military tactical thinking. It is found that the two key constitutive factors behind the offensive bias are military culture and education. These factors most directly and profoundly influence an officer’s identity, perceptions, and thinking. Military culture and education, in turn, work as a prism for four other factors: military history, the theory and principles of war, doctrine and TTPs, and psychological factors.     

Moving the techno-science gap in Security Force Assistance

This paper looks at the impact of military technology diffusion on military assistance operations (MAO), in the United States known as Security Force Assistance or SFA. The discussion looks conceptually at the role of technological change and how it interacts with martial cultures in military assistant operations. I argue that growing trends in science and technology suggest potential conflicts between culture and technology. Relying on a culture-technology model drawn from anthropology, the paper contends that new technologies will present increasing challenges for the emerging MAO landscape. The paper will illustrate that the techno-science gap will continue to grow as innovations such as robotics, sensors, and networks continue to develop. Finally, the paper will look at ways to overcome this conflict between culture and technology.     

How long until midnight? Intelligence-policy relations and the United States response to the Israeli nuclear program, 1959–1985

Why did the United States fail to stop Israeli acquisition of nuclear weapons? Existing research argues that patrons such as the U.S. should have an easy time halting proliferation by militarily and economically vulnerable clients. Nevertheless, Israel acquired nuclear weapons with relatively little American opposition. Utilizing extensive primary source research, we argue that problematic intelligence-policy relations hindered U.S. efforts to arrest Israeli proliferation as (1) policymakers often gave mixed guidance to the intelligence community, resulting in (2) limited information on Israeli efforts that reinforced policy ambiguity. The results carry implications for understanding the dynamics of nuclear proliferation and intelligence-policy relations.